Climbing assembly having removable steps

ABSTRACT

A climbing assembly for transmission poles and the like includes a series of removable steps in the nature of open frames having downturned stems insertable into tubular brackets welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to the poles. The steps are provided with rungs of a size and disposition to permit their further use as working platforms or stages and are offset for safety purposes. The releasable attachment is such as to obviate lateral or other movement during use to preclude accident or injury.

United States Patent Currence, Jr. 1 J 1973 1 1 CLIMBING ASSEMBLY HAVING994,912 6/1911 1211101 ..1s2 90 REMOVABLE STEPS 3,149,696 9/1964Anderson. ..l82/92 Y 1,073,158 9/1913 Morris 1 ..l82/l89 lnventorlWilbur" Currence, Centraha 1,159,821 11/1915 Barger ..248/3l5 Mo., 65240Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado [73] Ass1gnee: A. B. Chance C0.,Centralia, Mo. Attorney schmidtJohnson, Hovey & Williams [22] Filed: May24, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] APPLNO" 146,118 A climbing assembly fortransmission poles and the like includes a series of removable steps inthe nature U-S. of open frames having downturned stems insertable Int...E06c into tubular brackets welded or otherwise af. Field Search-18x90,92, 100, 189; 248/315, fixed to the poles. The steps are provided withrungs 248/224 of a size and disposition to permit their further use asworking platforms or stages and are offset for safety References Citedpurposes. The releasable attachment is such as to ob- YUNITED STATESPATENTS viat e lateralor other movement during use to preclude acc1dentor in ury. 990,267 4/l9ll Hill ..l82/92 2,242,833 5/1941 Nibur ..248/3l54 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 3,200,903 8/1965 Marino ..l82/92 PATENTEDJAN 23 I913 INVENTOR. Wi/bur'n C. Currence Jr:

BY WJWflM ,4 ORNEYS.

CLIMBING ASSEMBLY HAVING REMOVABLE STEPS SUMMARY OF INVENTION BACKGROUNDOF INVENTION It has been the universal practice in the provision ofclimbing assemblies for transmission poles to provide two rows of stepsextending laterally in opposite directions with one row disposed to eachfoot respectively of the climber. During climbing, the user grasps thepole itself by encircling his arms therearound to stabilize himself andprevent backward falling. It is also common to use safety belts inimpaling relationship to the pole. Such construction is manifestly notsuitable for large diameter poles.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of my presentinvention to provide a climbing assembly which is especially useful inconnection with large diameter poles wherein the safety factor is absentbecause of inability of the climber to grasp the pole itself and preventfrom falling during climbing and during the course of his work whileusing one of the steps of the assembly as a stage or platform.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of anassembly for climbing transmission poles wherein the steps of the seriesthereof are individually and interchangeably mounted on the polesthrough releasable construction permitting attachment during ascent andremoval, if desired, during descent to thereby allow subsequent use onother poles.

A further important object of the instant invention is to provideidentical mounting arrangements for all of the steps made to eliminatethe need for tools and fasteners, and constructed to provide greatstrength and stability through proper interengagement between severalportions of the step and the surface of the pole on which the steps aremounted.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a step of theaforementioned character and purpose which embodies additionalfunctions, including handover-hand climbing; safety belt attachmentmeans; anti-slip characteristics; and capability of use ratheruniversally on many types of poles varying in dimensions, heights,materials, wall thicknesses and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of aclimbing assembly having removable steps made in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view illustrating one ofthe steps in position for mounting on the transmission pole;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical crosssectional view througha portion of the pole showing one of the step units in side elevation;and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal crosssectional viewthrough a portion of the pole showing one of the step units in plan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1 of the drawing there is illustrated asomewhat conventional transmission pole broadly designated by thenumeral 10, usually made of metal and being hollow throughout itslength. These poles are usually polygonal in cross section asillustrated in part by FIG. 4, presenting at least one flat wall 12.Poles 10 are relatively large, ranging from 36 inches to inches indiameter at their lower ends and having heights as great as 30 feet tofeet.

FIG. 1 also illustrates a series of conventional structures 14 fromwhich the transmission lines are suspended. Manifestly, as is wellunderstood, it becomes necessary to climb poles 10 from time to timeespecially during initial erection and performance of work adjacent thestructures 14. For this purpose, poles 10 are normally provided withsteps used by the workman but, for the most part, such steps are in thenature of short protuberances extending in opposite directions as, forexample, in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,399,746, dated Sept. 3, 1968, andowned by the assignee of the instant application. Steps of such natureare not suitable for poles 10 because it is not possible for the climberto grasp the pole by encircling his arms therearound; therefore, itbecomes necessary as illustrated in the drawing to arrange the steps,broadly designated by the numeral 16, on the outer face of but one wall12 of the pole 10 in continuous row and to construct the step 16 in amanner to permit hand-overhand climbing.

Accordingly, the step 16 is in the nature of an open, continuouspolygonal frame 18 preferably made from an initially straight length ofround rod stock material, formed or otherwise constructed to present ofpair of laterally spaced, parallel, elongated sides 20. Frame 18 alsoincludes an elongated rung 22 at normally forwardmost ends of the sides20-20, and a crosspiece 24 at the normally rearmost ends of the sides20-20, it being understood that the rung 22 and the crosspiece 24integrally interconnect the sides 2020.

The frame 18 of each of the series of identical steps 16 is alsoprovided with short, downturned arms 26 integral with the sides 20 andwith the rung 22 disposing the rung 22 below the level of the sides 20in perpendicular relationship to the latter and in parallel relationshipto the crosspiece 24. The crosspiece 2 4 is made up of a pair ofidentical sections 28 that terminate in downtumed legs 30, presenting amounting or attachment stem 32 that has its longitudinal, upright axisgenerally perpendicular to the crosspiece 24. Legs 30-30 are preferablyconnected rigidly in any suitable manner such as by welding.

An elongated, tubular bracket 34 is provided on the outer face of walls12 for each step 16 respectively, adapted to removably receive the stem32 of the corresponding step 16. Bracket 34 is preferably U-shaped incross section presenting a bight 36 in spaced parallelism to the wall 12and a pair of flanges 38 integral with and extending from the bight 36toward the wall 12 to which the flanges 38-38 are firmly attached suchas by lines of weld 40.

OPERATION The series of steps 16 may be mounted on the pole prior toerection or subsequently by use of a tag line from a derrick and may beeasily and quickly inserted into the brackets 34 successively by theclimber as he ascends the pole 10. This is accomplished simply byinserting the stems 32 into the tubular brackets 34 through the open,uppermost ends thereof to a position where the stems 32 projectdownwardly beyond the lowermost open ends of the brackets 34 as bestillustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

In such mounted position of the steps 16 on the pole 10, the sections28-28 of the crosspieces 24 rest firmly upon the upper edges of theflanges 38-38 with the sections 2828 as well as the stem 32 bearinggenerally against the outer face of the wall 12.

Accordingly, as the climber steps onto the rung 22 in the mannerillustrated by FIG. 4, there is little, if any, tendency on the part ofthe step 16 to swing in any direction or become displaced from thebracket 34, presenting a sturdy, rigid, stabilized condition. Suchstabilizing relationship of the stem 32 and the crosspiece 24 withrespect to the wall 12 is enhanced by the firm support of the sections28-28 by the flanges 38- 38; by the fact that there is insufficientclearance between the wall 12 and the bight 36 to permit any substantialrotation of the stem 32 within the bracket 34; and by the fact that stem32 cannot shift or swing in a sidewise direction between the flanges38-38.

It is to be understood that while it is desirable that there be arelatively tight fit because of the similar cross-sectionalconfigurations of the bracket 34 and the stem 32, sufficient toleranceshould be maintained to permit insertion of the stem 32 into thebrackets 34 and removal therefrom without the need for using any tool orauxiliary fasteners.

Another feature which is not to be overlooked lies in the fact that thearms 26-26 effectively prevent skidding of the shoe of the climberlaterally off the rung 32 providing therefore a very important safetyfactor.

The steps 16 are advantageous additionally because of the fact that therungs 22 are adapted to receive both feet of the climber when he reachesthe point of working on the pole 10 such the the rungs 22 serve asstages or platforms at the working zones. Moreover, inasmuch as thenormal safety belt used by climbers in this field will not encircle thelarge diameter pole 10, the rungs 22 may also be used to receive suchsafety belt and positively prevent accidental falling of the workmanfrom the pole 10.

Because of the fact that steps 16 are normally handled by the workman,both on ascent and descent, it is desirable and necessary that the stepsl6be of a lightweight construction and such attributes to be found inthe steps 16 when made as above described from lightweight, yet strongrod stock material.

While it is contemplated that the steps 16 may be removed succe sivelyafter the work is comBleted, and while the wor man descends the pole 1for subsequent use on additional poles, it is within the scope of mypresent invention that steps 16 may be left in place if such is desired.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an elongated upright having an outer wall, aclimbing assembly for the upright capable of use as a work platform,comprising:

a step configured to be mounted to said outer wall of the upright andincluding an open, continuous, polygonal frame presenting:

a pair of sides,

a lateral rung interconnecting said sides and being of a width at leasttwice the width of a man's foot to present a work platform,

downturned arms at the outer ends of said sides for connecting the sideswith said rung to locate the latter in offset relationship below thelevel of the sides whereby said arms deter lateral skidding of a mansfoot off said rung,

a crosspiece interconnecting said sides rearwardly of the rung, and

a member depending from said crosspiece intermediate the ends of thelatter; and

a bracket secured to the upright and configured to releasably receivesaid member to place the latter and said crosspiece in engagement withsaid outer wall of the upright, said crosspiece being complementallyconfigured to said outer wall whereby said engagement of the member andthe crosspiece with the outer wall holds the step in rigid, stabilizedrelationship to said upright.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sides of the stepare parallel and extend transversely outwardly from said outer wall ofthe upright.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said crosspiece includesa pair of sections each terminating in a downwardly extending leg, saidlegs being interconnected in side-by-side relationship presenting saidmember.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bracket comprisesan open, transversely U-shaped tube presenting a bight and a pair ofspaced, longitudinal flanges integral with the bight and fixed to saidupright, said member being longer than said flanges and extendingthrough said tube with said crosspiece resting on the upper end of thetube.

1. In combination with an elongated upright having an outer wall, aclimbing assembly for the upright capable of use as a work platform,comprising: a step configured to be mounted to said outer wall of theupright and including an open, continuous, polygonal frame presenting: apair of sides, a lateral rung interconnecting said sides and being of awidth at least twice the width of a man''s foot to present a workplatform, downturned arms at the outer ends of said sides for connectingthe sides with said rung to locate the latter in offset relationshipbelow the level of the sides whereby said arms deter lateral skidding ofa man''s foot off said rung, a crosspiece interconnecting said sidesrearwardly of the rung, and a member depending from said crosspieceintermediate the ends of the latter; and a bracket secured to theupright and configured to releasably receive said member to place thelatter and said crosspiece in engagement with said outer wall of theupright, said crosspiece being complementally configured to said outerwall whereby said engagement of the membEr and the crosspiece with theouter wall holds the step in rigid, stabilized relationship to saidupright.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sides ofthe step are parallel and extend transversely outwardly from said outerwall of the upright.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, whereinsaid crosspiece includes a pair of sections each terminating in adownwardly extending leg, said legs being interconnected in side-by-siderelationship presenting said member.
 4. An assembly as set forth inclaim 1, wherein said bracket comprises an open, transversely U-shapedtube presenting a bight and a pair of spaced, longitudinal flangesintegral with the bight and fixed to said upright, said member beinglonger than said flanges and extending through said tube with saidcrosspiece resting on the upper end of the tube.